Wednesday 23 February 2011 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

Wednesday 23 February 2011 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Ruth 2:1-13

Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, a prominent rich man, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favour.’ She said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, ‘The Lord be with you.’ They answered, ‘The Lord bless you.’ Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, ‘To whom does this young woman belong?’ The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, ‘She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.” So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.’*

 Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.’ Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, ‘Why have I found favour in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?’ But Boaz answered her, ‘All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!’ Then she said, ‘May I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.’
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2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17

But I call on God as witness against me: it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth. I do not mean to imply that we lord it over your faith; rather, we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in the faith. So I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came, I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice; for I am confident about all of you, that my joy would be the joy of all of you. For I wrote to you out of much distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain, but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
 But if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but to some extent—not to exaggerate it—to all of you. This punishment by the majority is enough for such a person; so now instead you should forgive and console him, so that he may not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. I wrote for this reason: to test you and to know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ. And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.
 When I came to Troas to proclaim the good news of Christ, a door was opened for me in the Lord; but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said farewell to them and went on to Macedonia.

 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many;* but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.
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Matthew 5:21-26

‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister,* you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult* a brother or sister,* you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell* of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister* has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister,* and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court* with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 119:145-176

Psalm 119:145-176

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord.
   I will keep your statutes. 
I cry to you; save me,
   that I may observe your decrees. 
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
   I put my hope in your words. 
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
   that I may meditate on your promise. 
In your steadfast love hear my voice;
   O Lord, in your justice preserve my life. 
Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
   they are far from your law. 
Yet you are near, O Lord,
   and all your commandments are true. 
Long ago I learned from your decrees
   that you have established them for ever. 


Look on my misery and rescue me,
   for I do not forget your law. 
Plead my cause and redeem me;
   give me life according to your promise. 
Salvation is far from the wicked,
   for they do not seek your statutes. 
Great is your mercy, O Lord;
   give me life according to your justice. 
Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
   yet I do not swerve from your decrees. 
I look at the faithless with disgust,
   because they do not keep your commands. 
Consider how I love your precepts;
   preserve my life according to your steadfast love. 
The sum of your word is truth;
   and every one of your righteous ordinances endures for ever. 


Princes persecute me without cause,
   but my heart stands in awe of your words. 
I rejoice at your word
   like one who finds great spoil. 
I hate and abhor falsehood,
   but I love your law. 
Seven times a day I praise you
   for your righteous ordinances. 
Great peace have those who love your law;
   nothing can make them stumble. 
I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
   and I fulfil your commandments. 
My soul keeps your decrees;
   I love them exceedingly. 
I keep your precepts and decrees,
   for all my ways are before you. 


Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
   give me understanding according to your word. 
Let my supplication come before you;
   deliver me according to your promise. 
My lips will pour forth praise,
   because you teach me your statutes. 
My tongue will sing of your promise,
   for all your commandments are right. 
Let your hand be ready to help me,
   for I have chosen your precepts. 
I long for your salvation, O Lord,
   and your law is my delight. 
Let me live that I may praise you,
   and let your ordinances help me. 
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant,
   for I do not forget your commandments.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 128, 129, 130

Psalm 128

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
   who walks in his ways. 
You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands;
   you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you. 


Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
   around your table. 
Thus shall the man be blessed
   who fears the Lord. 


The Lord bless you from Zion.
   May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
   all the days of your life. 
May you see your children’s children.
   Peace be upon Israel!


Psalm 129

‘Often have they attacked me from my youth’
   —let Israel now say— 
‘often have they attacked me from my youth,
   yet they have not prevailed against me. 
Those who plough ploughed on my back;
   they made their furrows long.’ 
The Lord is righteous;
   he has cut the cords of the wicked. 
May all who hate Zion
   be put to shame and turned back. 
Let them be like the grass on the housetops
   that withers before it grows up, 
with which reapers do not fill their hands
   or binders of sheaves their arms, 
while those who pass by do not say,
   ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
   We bless you in the name of the Lord!’


Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. 
   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications! 


If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand? 
But there is forgiveness with you,
   so that you may be revered. 


I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope; 
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning. 


O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem. 
It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities.
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